Listen Live
HomeNewsLocal history: Snow removal one-upmanship between Timmins, Tisdale

Local history: Snow removal one-upmanship between Timmins, Tisdale

Back on the street this week, as we look at the history of snow clearing in the Porcupine mining camp.

Last week, museum director-curator Karen Bachmann told us about the 1924 purchase by Tisdale Township of a “tractor snowplow” to keep the road open between South Porcupine and Timmins.

“Timmins in 1928 has a snow removal budget built into their new budget. It’s $3,000 for the entire year,” she says, moving on.  “It also includes a $500 expenditure to purchase six what they call snow boxes to help with the hauling away of snow.”

Then in1933, the Town of Timmins decided to go one better than Tisdale’s “tractor snowplow”  and buy a speedier, more efficient “power snowplow”.

- Advertisement -

“But when they got the bill for $7,800, everybody went ‘Eek! We can’t afford that!’” Bachmann recounts. “So they worked out with the company to rent it for $650 a month with the option to buy.”

Next Monday: The advent of a practice called “snow chipping”… and why Tisdale Township was bragging about its snow removal.

- Advertisment -
- Advertisment -
- Advertisement -

Continue Reading